Anticreeper tie plate for railway rails



w. s. WESTON. ANHCREEPER TIE PLATE FOR RAILWAY RAILS.

APPLIQATION FI LED OCT-1, 192l- Patented May 23, 1922.

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WILLIAM S. W'ESTON, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

ANTICREEPER TIE PLATE FOR, RAILWAY RAILS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ill-lay 23, 1922.

Application filed October 1, 1921. Serial No. 504,539.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, /VILLIAM S. Wesrox, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Dallas, county of Dallas, and. State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Anticreeper Tie Plates for Railway Rails, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My present invention relates to novel im provements in tie plates for railway rails whereby the plate, in combination with the spikes that hold the rail and plate down to the tie, also acts as an anti-creeper. it relates especially to improvements on the type of anticreeper tie plate illustrated and described in my prior patents, U. S. Letters Patent Nos. 91 h092 and 914,093, granted to me March 2, 1909; and my particular object is an improvement whereby the spring clamp friction grip on the rail therein specified is transformed in functional operation into a more positive lever grip. A further object is to provide a plate of simple lines that may easily be made integral in one piece by being cut and punchedfrom long bars rolled for the purpose or from standard flat bars or plates.

1 attain my object by so locating and proportioning the shoulders and spike holes relative to each other and to the rail base that any longitudinal movement of the rail causes the plate to interlock between the rail and the spikes, thereby preventing further movement so long as the tie does not move or the spikes do not pull from their sockets. The full construction of the improved anticreeper .tie plate and the functions of its parts in the processes of its'installation and operation are clearly set forth in the following description, wherein reference is made to the illustrations in the accompanying drawings which form a part of these specifications. The elements of novelty are particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure l is a plan view of a plate punched and formed from fiat steel; with the plate. tie and one spike shown in full lines, and with the rail base and shank of the other spike shown in dotted outline. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the plate and upper portion of the tie on. the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of Fig. 1 with a crosssection of the rail base shown in dotted outline. Fig. 4: is a plan view of a plate only, cut and punched from long bars on which the is a vertical section on the line of Fig. 4:. The same numerals used for relerence on Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings indicate the same parts, while on Figs. l and 5 parts substantially similar or having similar functions to those of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 have the same numerals with the subinder: small letter a.

The principle of functional operation in my anti-creeper tie plate is that of a lever grip on the rail base edges, as distin guished from a purely friction grip. and the novel improvements consists of an arrangement of shoulders for the edges and of holes for the holding spikes whereby the use of this principle is made practicable. liefer 'ing to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the plate is designated by the numeral 6, the rail by T, the tie by 8, and the two spikes by 9 and 10. For descriptive purposes a medial line of the plate, 11-1l, at right angles to the rail is shown in Fig. 1. On opposite sides of the rail base and close to the medial line, but also on opposite sides of that line, are two rigid shoulders 12, 12, being rigid within the limits of the elasticity of the material used in the manufacture. These rigid shoulders l2, l2, constitute the fulcrums of the lever grip. 0n opposite sides of the medial line from the shoulders 12. 12, and also on opposite sides of the rail base are two other shoulders. 13, 13, the rigidity of which may be relieved by the elasticity of the metal only or also by the elasticity of the shape in which they are made. These shoulders 13, 13, in combination with the shoulders 12, 12, form a seating space narrower than the rail base which is to be seated therein. At the time of installation the rail is brought down to its seat by force, the shoulders yielding in proportion to the elasticity of the metal or the shape and the rail base edges becoming indented by the shoulders in proportion to the renitent quality of the metal or shape. The seating of the rail between shoulders in this manner insures under nor mal conditions an initial friction grip between the shoulders and the rail. On opposite sides of the medial line from the shoulders, 12, 12, and adjacent to the shoulders, 13, 13, are enlarged holes, 14, 14s, for the spikes 9 and 10. These holes extend partly under the rail, and at installation the spikes are placed against the rail base edge and against the edge of the hole nearer the medial line.

The functional operation may now be described, bearing in mind the fact that the plate through its shoulders has a friction grip on the rail. Assume that the rail tends to creep or move in the direction indicated by the arrow 15 in Fig. 1. This movement of the rail, which would carry the plate with it, is met by the reaction of the tie acting through the spike 9 bearing against the edge of its hole on that side of the rail. By this reaction the pr ssure in the hearing at shoulders, 12, 12, which had only been that due to the renitent quality in the seating space, very much increased and these shoulders become the fulcrums of a lover grip. Should these shoulders or fulcrums under this increase of pressure sink further into the rail base edge the plate would rotate relative to the rail a small amount about a center between the fulcrums as indicated by the arrows 16, 16. Further movement of the rail in the direction of the arrow 15 is thereafter held so long as the tie does not more on the substructure or the spike does not pull. from its socket.

If the strains developed in the plate during the above described operative action, a compressive strain between the bearing of the spike 9 and the shoulder 12 on that side of the rail and a tensile strain between shoulders, 12, 12, do not exceed the elastic limit of the metal and shape the renitent quality of the seating space will not be affected after the creeping force is balanced 01' removed. That is to say, under normal conditions there always will be a friction grip sufficient to "initiate the lever grip. In this connection it is important to note that if the creep of the rail reverses to the direction opposite that of the arrow 15, the spike 10 will transmit the tie reaction, tend to rotate the plate, relative to the rail, about the center between the fulcrums, 12, 12, in the same direction asbefore and reestablish the lever grip. it is the same lever grip with the reactive force applied in the opposite direction on the other side of the rail.

In order that thc levcr grip shall be most effective the fulcrum shoulders are placed near the medial line so that a line connecting them will be near at right angles to the rail assuitable for the purpose. The location of the auxiliary shoulders, 13, 13, is

'not so important. Instead of being located, as shown, between the spike holes and the medial line, they might be located beyond the holes, nearer the edges of the plate. As stated, their main purpose is to provide in conjunction with the shoulders 12, 1.2, a con tracted rail seating space. The governing element in their location is that they shall be opposite the shoulders, 12, 12, relative to the .medial line asdescribed, so as not to interfere with the slight rotative movement of the plate in the direction of arrows 16. The fact that this rotative movement will relieve the pressure, and might even cause shoulders, 13, 13, to clear the rail base edges, is not material so long as the rail seating space retains its original renitent quality, Even should the shoulders, 12, 12, become deeply embedded in the rail base edges, the lever grip would be effective and the moment they are moved by hand or by any action to another or adjacent position on the rail the entire sea-t controlling means comes into action again. It maybe noted here that the shoulders l2 and 13 might be made continuous as one shoulder with the fulcrum portion 12 specified to be unyielding except within the elastic limit of the metal.

The holes for the spikes are enlarged principally in a direction to permitthe slight rotative movement of the plate indicated, and the spikes are so located that one or the other in ope ation will bear against the edge of the hole nearer the medial line. at the time of installation both spikes will he placed against the nearer edge. As the plate is rotated slightly in operation the spike transmitting the holding strain will be against the bearing edge of its hole while the other spike will stand a slight distance away from its bearing edge. This distance is only a fraction of an inch and represents double the longitudinal movement of the rail over the tie, incidental to the functional operation of the device. It should be noted that the holes around the spikes are large enough and so shaped that only one spike will transmit the tie reaction in any one direction. In case the creep of the rail reverses, both rail and plate will move back the distance just described changing, the load to the other spike and applying the reaction to the other end of the lever with fulcrums 12, 12.

As a matter of comparison it will be of interest to consideronly thatportion of the device coming under strain as an anti-creeper. Referring to Fig. 1, if the outline of the portion under compression extending parallel to the rail from the spike 9 to the shoulder 12, and the portion under tension between shoulders 12, 12, extending transversely beneath the rail at an angle less than ninety degrees, is visualized, it readily will be seen that the anti-creeper feature is an adaptation of a fundamental feature of the V form lever grip anti-creeper illustrated in United States Patent No. 1,120,258 granted to me December 8, 191 1; with the spike 9 in my present invention fulfilling the function of the pendent lug. in that prior invention, and the shoulder 13 adjacent the spike together with the two shoulders, 12, 12, constituting the equivalent of the three points of seating contact.

L and represent an alternate con.- st-ruction of my device having the same combination of equivalent parts described :lt'or l. 2, and with the same processes of installation and operation, but in whicn the shoulders are formed when the plate is rolled. The spike holes are punched aiter ward. T 1e plate 6 carries two relativeshort shoulders '7 1?, located. on the medial line of the "plate on opposite sides of" the rail. These shoulders, taken alone are made to just clear the base of the rail with which the device is to be used, and are used a the common backing of seats 19-; and 13, which are the equivalent of seats 12 and .13 already described. The inside bottom fillets of the shoulders 17, 17, which are made to conform to the lower corner of the rail base edge through most f their length are filled in with bosses or lumps oi metal at the points le and 13 as indicated to form seats that will give a seating space narrower than the rail base. At installation the rail is forced to its seat between these bosses. resulting in a stretching of the metal oi the plate. a partial flattening of the bosses and an indentation ot' the rail base edge. if the plate is made oi resilient material the renitent quality of the seating space, or the indentations or both effects assures the initial. friction grip from which the lever grip is developed in operation.

The seats 12 12 term the 'Eulorums and seats 13... 13 are auxiliary in defining the seating space. With the backing up shoulders 17, 17, a close fit to the rail. it is to be noted that either set of seats could be omitted and the seating space would still be narrower than the rail. In case bosses 12 12. were left off, the inside of the shoulders l7 ii, at that end would more or less indent the rail edge at installation and in operation and make the device effective.

In this rolled form of plate i prefer to make the shoulders l7, 1?, continuous with shoulders 18. 1.8. located around the spike holes thus increasing the thickness of the edge that bears against the spike. Screw spikes, or their equivalent in holding quality. are to be used in order to reduce to a minimum any vertical movement of the rail relative to the tie and eliminate the friction wear between the spike and plate. By keeping the screw spike tightened the vertical movenrent ot the rail will be limited to that of the tie on the ballast or substruction At installation the rail may be brought to its final seat by a car or train load and the spikes subsequently tightened.

I do not limit myself to the exact forms shown but claim broadly in a tie plate the essential features described and illustrated, comprising in combination; a shoulder tie plate having 1. an anti-creeper tie plate for railway rails manu'i a tured of resilient metal. having integral shoulders arranged to form a space s l htlv 'maller than the rail. base and to have a trier-ion grip on said rail base when seated therein by "force, the said arrangement of shoulders being such that in functional opera ion a rotative strain produced in the plate establishes on the rail.

An anti-creeper tie plate for railway having a plate portion for the distributi n of the rail load to the tie; shoulder portions forming a scant seating space within which the rail base is seated by force; and enlarged holes for the holding spikes the holes extending beneath the rail base edges in manner to permit a slight rotative movement of the plate in its functional operation and thereby to establish a lever grip between opposite shoulders and the rail base.

3. An anti-creeper device for railway rails comprising a combined tie plate and clamp, having integral shoulders on its upper surface arranged to "form a contracted space within which the rail base is seated by force; and spikes for holding the rail and plate down to the tie and arranged to effect a rotative strain upon the plate during inner tional operation. thereby establishing a lever grip between the shoulders and the rail base.

4-. An anti-creeper tie plate for railway rails having integral shoulders on its upper surface arranged to form a contracted space slighty smaller than the rail base, a portion of said shoulders being resilient and yielding to permit the forcible seating of the rail between said shoulders, and other port-ions of the shoulders being rigid and unyielding and constituting the fulcrums for a lever grip on the rail base during functional operation.

5. [in anti-creeper device'for railway rails comprising a tie plate having two rigid shoulders adapted to bear against the opposite rail base edges and have a lever grip thereon; two spikes for holding the rail down on said plate and for holding the plate on and to the tie, the spikes being located on opposite sides of a line connecting said rigid shoulders; and structural a lever grip means in said plate in combination with said spikes tending during functional operation to rotate the plate about a center intermediate said shoulders in a direction adapted to maintain said lever grip.

6. An anti-creeper device for railway rails comprising a tie plate having two rigid shoulders adapted to bear against the opposite rail base edges and have a lever grip thereon; two spikes for holding the rail down on said plate and for holding the plate on and to the tie, the spikes being located on opposite sides of a line connecting said rigid shoulders; and one or more resnient shoulders on said plate adapted to form in combination with said rigid shoulders a rail seating space smaller than the rail base and said resilient shoulder or shoulders tending to rotate the plate about a center between said rigid shoulders to thereby maintain the said lever grip.

7. An anti-creeper tie plate for railway rails having shoulders with a rail seating space smaller than the rail base, and be tween which the rail is seated by force, the shoulders being so arranged that the plate will rotate slightly in a horizontal plane in one direction only, at installation, thereby establishing a lever grip on the rail base.

8. An anti-creeper device for railway rails to prevent movement in a longitudinal. direction comprising; a plate interposed between the rail and the tie; shoulders on the upper surface of the plate, adjacent the transverse medial line, forming a contracted space within which the rail is seated by force; and two spikes located in diagonal relation on opposite sides of the rail to hold the rail and plate down to the tie, one of the spikes being set to resist longitudinal movementof the plate in. onedirection and the other set to resist movement in the op posite direction.

9. An anti-creeper device for railway rails comprising in combination with the spikes for holding the rail down to the tie,

of a plate interposed between the rail and the tie having two short shoulders located on opposite sides of the rail adjacent a transverse line at right angles thereto and forming a seating space within which the rail base is seated by force to thereby establish a friction grip, said spikes being arranged to bear against said plate in a manner to transform the friction grip of said shoulders into a lever grip.

WILLIAM S. WESTON. 

